Fire Extinguishers

[LORDNELSON]

Have just been to the SBS and have been reminded of the cost of replacing my Halon extinguishers at then end of this year. Has any one any advice on an economical way to tackle this problem? I need to deal with replacing an automatic halon in the engine room (about 4 cubic metres) and a hand held. It seemed about £600 worth at the SBS

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[andy_wilson]

Keep the halon until the pressure runs out.
At least you stand a chance of running the engine(s) again after deployment, which canot be said of powder.

Dunno about modern alternatives to halon. Expensive prob'ly.

Remember, if you dispose of the old ones, the halon will have to be dealt with. If you keep it, it won't have to be dealt with.

if you need it you will hardly care!

Contravercial stuff. Not a commercial vessel is it?

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[Guest]

Just a comment ....

Just before I left the Sea .... Halon was removed from all vessels in my company as they were following advise from 'Official' sources that certain Halon types were unsuitable. I can't say banned as that may be wrong.

It's like the 'Car-style' expanding gas type ...... well known manufacturers used to sell these compact extinguishers - they were 'frowned on' .....

Just a comment ........


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I only came - cos they said there was FREE Guinness !

 

[Guest]

We used to measure the level of Halon in the tank by a small Digital Temp probe ....... moving it up the cylinder / tank until we observed a change of temp. That was the interface of vapour and liquid.


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I only came - cos they said there was FREE Guinness !

 

[VicS]

Look after your Halon extinguishers and make sure you never have to use them.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>Ne te confundant illegitimi.</font color=purple>

 

[ccscott49]

Mine are in good condition, so I'm keeping them. I will eventually replace them, but not until after the replacements come down in price! Just like DSC VHF radios!

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[vyv_cox]

I agree with the others. I have three halon extinguishers and they are staying on board, although I may buy an additional powder one to display, for the sake of the the regulations.

Weigh the cylinders regularly. So long as the weight remains stable they will work if and when required. Mine are about 10 years old now but their weight has not changed.

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[Indalo]

Try a firm called firemaster - www.firemaster.co.uk - they sell halon replacement GTFE (?) extinguishers and dispose of the old halon one at the same time (if you can get a courier to accept it). I bought a 2.5m one for £110 including VAT, P&P - exactly same thing in the chandlers was over £200.

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[Dann]

Thought that it will be illegal to have halon after 2003. Would think that insurers will take a dim view of any one relying on it beyond the cut off date and may well refuse a claim.

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[vyv_cox]

I believe you are correct about the legality but I take the opposite view about the insurance. Any fires I have will be extinguished immediately by the halon, saving the insurers a fortune. If I relied on powder, or worse still CO2, the boat may well burn to the water. As I said, I will carry a powder extinguisher for legal purposes, in the same way that I carry a radar reflector. I rely on neither.

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[Piers]

Try calling Fireguard on 01425 616139. I suspect you'll find it less expensive than you've been told.

If you want to use my name as the lead source that's fine.

<hr width=100% size=1>Piers du Pré
http://www.dupre.co.uk

 

[Paulka]

"If I relied on powder, or worse still CO2 ...."

I fully agree with you regarding the powder!
I fully desagree regarding the CO2!

According to <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.hanford.gov/fire/safety/extingrs.htm>Hanford Fire Dept.</A> :

"Carbon Dioxide (CO2) extinguishers are most effective on Class B and C (liquids and electrical) fires."

That's exacily what I try to protect me and my boat against : liquids and electrical fire!

In my former professional activity, I often had the opportunity to use fire extinguishers, and collected some experience (not expertise, far from it!) and rather would let my boat burn to the flotation than use a powder extinguisher.

My first choice was halon, untill it was prohibited. I still have one halon extinguisher on board, the others I had have since lost most of their weight.

Here my solution:
- to be legal, the cheapest possible legal fire extinguisher hidden in such a way that no one would find it except for inspection.
- to be safe, any number (in my case four) CO2 fire extinguishers, strategically located, in such places, that, in case of a fire, any crew member would instinctively grab for anyone of them, and of course my remaining halon one.

Of course, each and every crew is periodocally informed about how to use them, and about the dangers of CO2, which by the way, are very similar to the dangers of halon.


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[vyv_cox]

My words are based on a number of firefighting courses for onshore and offshore applications and something like 10 years experience as fire warden in a hydrocarbons plant.

CO2 is effective in a closed environment. Assuming you knew that your fire would be in a closed space, such as an engine room, then you could reasonably expect it to work, assuming the capacity to be sufficiently large. In a saloon with an open hatch it might work but there is a considerable risk of re-ignition, as CO2 has little cooling or damping function. Outside - forget it. CO2 is absolutely useless in the open air.

Halon is remarkably effective at extinguishing every type of fire and needs only small amounts of liquid to work, both indoors and out. It is extremely regrettable that its use has been banned, for questionable reasons.

Foam is far more effective than powder, both at knocking down a fire and keeping it down, especially liquid ones. Its limitation for electrical fires really applies to mains voltage, not very common in boats although certainly not impossible.

The risks to health of Halon have been somewhat overstated. It is certainly not as harmful as the fire and, as you suggest, asphyxiation is probably the main consequence of use.

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